| H o w w e t a k e b a c k o u r c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n: o n e p e r s o n , o n e q u e s t i o n , o n e s c h o o l a t a t i m e. COPYRIGHT PEYTON WOLCOTT 2003-2008 |
| Conservative Commentary - Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) Midwinter Conference / January 2008 |
P E Y T O N W O L C O T T |
How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
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| 'You were there' pix : Informational sessions . . . school biz up close . . . administrators & vendors By Peyton Wolcott Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 2:03 p.m. / Updated Monday, February 4, 2008 - 10:14 a.m. |
| TASA MIDWINTER - 2008 |
| Activities at education conferences such as this year's Texas Association of School Administrators MidWinter in Austin earlier this week typically feature the serious lectures you'd expect from authorities in their fields such as the legal lecture (below right) and the large general assembly addresses like the one by Texas education commissioner Robert Scott and Higher Ed's Ray Paredes (below). There are the vendor halls and exhibits featuring everything from a seemingly endless stream of education software such as Leapfrog SchoolHouse--you'll recall having heard about them during Andre Hornsby's recent corruption trial in Maryland--to construction-related exhibits to a personal jewelry booth geared towards female convention-goers. (Is this how we want our educators spending school-day time at events we pay to send them to, buying necklaces and earrings?) Then there are the receptions and more. I personally draw the line at dropping in on events held in hotel suites above the mezzanine level. (One year a local school board reportedly used a room as a "hospitality suite" during a similar convention; this was uncovered by a local resident when none of the district-paid married male attendees would take credit for occupying the room after a local mom started checking out telephone numbers for district-paid calls. "They were for escort services and phone sex," the woman told me.) All manner of edu-vendors take over luxury restaurants within a six-block radius. |
| I want to start this on a personal note of gratitude and appreciation. Being at TASA MidWinter in Austin last Monday was such a positive experience, and a real honor to be able to meet in person so many of Texas' 128 superintendents who have taken a big step towards transparency by voluntarily posting their districts' check registers online years ahead of any requirements at the state level. Many of them were only in town for the day--there's enormous peer pressure to show up at events such as this; one young superintendent whom I'm expecting to go far in public education was eschewing vendor dinners that evening in favor of taking some of his staff to an inexpensive restaurant near their hotel. "I won't let a vendor buy my meals," said this fellow. |
| Gee, what a wonderful opportunity(above) to put the information to use from attorney Dennis Hansen (below) regarding ethics and gifts; note arrows pointing to pink and lavender vendor gift bags. |
Trust, but verify. --Ronald Reagan |
| Ah, the nightlife along Austin's West Sixth such as The Iron Cactus, traditionally taken over by school law firm Walsh Anderson each year at TASA MidWinter (scroll down for pix); this past Monday night the hosts were Balfour and Texas A&M Commerce's "Department of Educational Leadership." Your tax dollars at work . . . . |
| TASA MidWinter, January 2006-2007-2008: Legal edu-vendor Walsh Anderson entertains school administrators at Austin's Iron Cactus Restaurant & Margarita Bar |
QUESTIONS: Who ultimately pays for parties such as this? What reasonable and prudent business owner would host such a party without expectation of being able to recoup the cost eventually one way or another? How appropriate is it for Texas educators to be attending vendor-hosted events at Margarita bars while attending taxpayer- funded conferences? |
| Sign o'the times compare & contrast ? 2006 sign (top) mentions "MidWinter" but the 2007 sign (left) omits reference to MidWinter. |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| OVERHEARD: Some educators apparently didn't see the general invitation taped to a column (R) on TASA MidWinter concourse and debated whether graduating from East Texas Commerce earned them an invite and entree inside. |
| Have queried Regional Education Service Center 2 executive director Linda "Quick Draw" Villarreal (top two) regarding her business thinking behind both the video presentation and hosting of a luncheon (above) at the Hilton during MidWinter. Have also asked for costs for the lunch and all costs including salary for time for the ESC to produce the video. |
| TALAS reception at Hilton for honoree Hector Montenegro |
| Nary a sign (below) of former Prince George's (MD) supe Andre Hornsby (far right, bottom) and his former live-in girlfriend and former LeapFrog sales rep Siena Owen (bottom, leaving courthouse) (PHOTO--Washington Post) at the TASA MidWinter LeapFrog SchoolHouse vendor hall exhibit. Also absent: LeapFrog founder Michael Milken, LeapFrog co-founder with his brother Lowell (below right with Eli Broad). |
| Texas education commissioner Robert Scott (L) and Higher Ed's Ray Paredes (R) |
| 2006 TASA MidWinter vendor hall |
| At left, easily one of the emptiest of the reception rooms Monday evening, does this sparsely attended scene telegraph a sign of a power shift in Texas public education? Former Texas edu-missioners Shirley Neeley, Jim Nelson and Mike Moses (framed invitation at left) hosted a reception/ "appreciation fundraiser" for representative Diane Patrick, member of the Texas House education committee. Sponsored by a glittery array of members of the Texas education establishment plus lobbyist Hillco, as recently as a few years ago this would have been the place to be and be seen. |
| TEA's Belinda Dyer |
| Iron Cactus Yahoo TripAdvisor review: The prices are a little steep! But the great food, friendly staff and huge food portions make up for it! Great Margaritas and couteous (sic) staff makes this a popular destination for both locals & tourists. Live music available on most weekdays. Very nice experience! |
| Iron Cactus' lake location "named one of the top ten tequila bars in the country!" per Austin City Guide. |
| In the event you are neither an appointed nor an elected school official and therefore didn't receive an invite (left) to WABSA's Iron Cactus "Client Appreciation Reception" at TASA MidWinter, there's always the Iron Cactus' 'Take the Tequila Tour.' Of course, it's going to cost you $20 at the door. |
| From WABSA's website: Reception during the Mid-Winter Conference! We hope to see everyone at our annual reception during the Mid-Winter Conference. It will be on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 from 5 to 7:00 p.m.at the Iron Cactus at 606 Trinity St. in downtown Austin. Bring your convention badge to speed up your entry at the door! Click here for a copy of the official invitation. |
| Jim Walsh Walsh Anderson, Brown, Schulze & Aldridge, P.C. (WABSA) |
| 2008 |
| TASAS reception honoring Hector Montenegro (L) |
Then-Ysleta ISD superintendent Hector Montenegro was a "Star Sponsor" (L) of the Texas state representative "Diane Patrick Appreciation Fundraiser" along with Sundown ISD's Mike Motherall |